


Unchain My Heart

by MistakenAngel



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Interrogation, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, References to Norse Religion & Lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:00:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21883306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistakenAngel/pseuds/MistakenAngel
Summary: What began as a simple interrogation to try to determine what Loki's plans are for the tesseract, Black Widow finds herself being drawn more and more to the handsome, enigmatic, adopted brother of Thor. Loki finds himself becoming attached to this strange, beautiful mortal Shield agent who was sent to interrogate him. He at first plays his games with her, but as they continue to talk, often after hours, both enemies realize that there is more to the other that meets the eye...
Relationships: Loki/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

Black Widow's Pov...

The helocarrier felt colder as Natasha Romanov, aka Black Widow, observed Thor and Iron Man bringing in the tall, lean black haired man in chains aboard in custody. She knew that this was Loki, that he was dangerous, and somehow it warranted putting him in a prison made for Dr. Banner, or The Hulk when he was his green monstrous self.

But she didn't expect him to be handsome, nor the weird effect he had on her senses. The three men left, and she went about her Shield duties. The intercom from her quarters notified her that Director Fury wanted to talk to her. She changed out of her street clothes, and into her form fitting black jumpsuit.

She made her way to the bridge. Director Fury was clearly agitated as he was looking over the monitors. He saw her, and motioned her over to him.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Did you see Thor and Iron Man bring in Loki?" Fury asked.

"Yes," Natasha said, not really liking where this was going. She had already had to practically take The Hulk into custody earlier in India, where he was hiding out as a poor doctor, curing sick people of a plague that sprang up, seemingly overnight.

He had her sir at the conference table, and he said, "Banner and Stark are going to do their research on the scepter. But we have no one here that Loki would be willing to talk to. Except you, of course. I need you to go down to the holding cell, and get him to talk about the tesseract. What he wants with it, why he needs to use it."

_My God, Shield must be really desperate if they are willing to send a mere woman down there. _She mentally shrugged her shoulders. This could be fun in a way. "Okay, I'll do it," She decided. "But are you sure you can't send Coulson or 13 on this?"

Fury grinned. "Let's just say that Thor let it slip that Loki has a weakness for strong girls."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever. When do I start?"

"Right now, if you like. You know the procedure if he acts up," Fury said. Widow grinned back, and made her way down to the holding cell. Thor and Loki were having an argument, and Thor paused as he was leaving.

"He's being an especially pompous ass," Thor remarked. "Good luck."

"Any tips?"

Thor grinned. "Just don't let him boss you around. Timid bores him."

"Got it."

"Oh, and your zipper," Thor looked down at her bosom, and made a zipping motion.

"Really? Is he _really_ that shallow?" She asked, incredulous.

Thor nodded his head. Black Widow shrugged her shoulders. She zipped her uniform down to show more of her cleavage, and went down the stairs, where a chair was already waiting for her.

Loki was pacing his cell like a caged wild animal, and he was becoming increasingly pissed off as he paced. He paused when he looked at her.

"An interesting notion of Shield to send a woman to interrogate me," He said with his polished, cultured voice. She couldn't help but feel a bit drawn to his voice. No, she had to block that part of his voice out. She was here for information, nothing more.

"But I'm afraid you are wasting your time," Loki added. "You see, I don't really care that your pathetic team uses the scepter. Only I can harness its power effectively, being that I am the rightful King of Asgard."

Natasha sat in her chair, and crossed her legs. "Uh huh. Soo, what exactly does the tesseract do? Since you're so very knowledgeable about it."

Loki laughed. "No, I think I would rather talk about how great you look in that suit. Hawkeye talked quite a bit about your past...history with him before he became unmanned by some other woman even my methods couldn't get him to divulge the identity of."

She seethed with anger at his sarcasm, but she refused to take the bait. "We're friends, Clint and me, and that's all."

Loki rolled his emerald green eyes. "Yeah, sure he is. Friends with benefits, more like. But I'm not going to judge."

Widow folded her arms across her chest. "What did he tell you?"

Loki winked. "Oh. I don't think you want the cameras picking up what I want to say in regards to that. But I will just say that I can do better."

Natasha stifled the urge to blush. "I can make your stay more comfortable if you cooperate with what we wish to know."

Loki stepped up to the glass. "Oh, I'm sure you can make my stay comfortable, but I'm not going to bend so easily to your demands. Go tell your friends that."

Loki walked to the bench and laid down on the bench, and appeared to fall asleep. Natasha was forced to get up, and report that the prisoner refused to cooperate.

"Well, keep trying," Fury said. "He seemed to open up to you more."

"I'll try again tomorrow."

"That's the spirit. Report back when you have more useful information," Fury ordered, eying her intensely with his one good eye.

"Yes, sir," She said.  
"Dismissed Widow."

Natasha left, and after checking on Clint's progress, she had dinner and went to bed. She tossed and turned in her sleep, and had the damn dream again about her graduation from her assassin camp in Russia where they took away her greatest desire since she could remember: to be a mother one day...


	2. Chapter 2

Loki's Pov...

This whole situation was simply a waiting game. Gods knew that he was used to waiting to claim what was rightfully his. But the arrival of the red head Shield agent intrigued him more than he would like to admit.

Natasha Romanoff, a delicious name if ever he heard one. He normally found mortal women repellent, if truth be told. They usually smelled, or their frailty put him off. Yet there was something about this woman that was familiar and drew him to her. He didn't know what it was, exactly, but he would find out what it was.

Meanwhile, he dreamed of Sigyn. Why? It had been five hundred years since Odin's spear stabbed her through her stomach in front of the entire court. He supposed that it took balls for the King of Asgard to take the life of a bound, unarmed woman, but Loki could only watch in horror as the life left her blue eyes. He refused to scream, he wouldn't give the old bastard the satisfaction, but he did cry. Oh yes, his heart felt like it had died that day.

Thor and his friends...how they looked on with their smug expressions! Loki never said a word about it, but when he became King the first time, it had felt like justice when he kept Thor exiled on Earth after Odin fell into the Odinsleep. 

Then that selfish prick of an adopted brother had to drag these other people, and Shield into what should have been a private family affair. But Black Widow...She was an interesting development.

He looked up at the bare ceiling of his prison, and saw that the lights were still dark, so the cameras and sound equipment couldn't possibly be on. Yet he heard movement. Then he saw her, but pretended to be asleep.

She decided to come to him in a nightgown. A smirk wreathed his lips. "Is this a social call?" He asked curiously.

Widow jumped, clearly startled to find that he was no longer asleep. "You could say that," She said, her Americanized Russian accent slightly groggy from sleep. "I couldn't sleep."

He sat up. Gods, he needed a fresh set of clothes, and no doubt a damn bath. But so far these cretins haven't seen fit to treat him with the comforts entitled to him according to his rank and station.

"Are you here to talk about the scepter?" Loki asked. "Because I don't wish to comply about that."

Widow sighed, and crossed her legs in the chair. He glanced at her legs. She did have nice legs, he would give her that.

"I'm not here for that," She admitted, not really meeting his eyes. Good, he neither wanted her friendship or esteem. He wouldn't mind a piece of ass though, this monkish sort of living was not good for him.

"Ooo! Naughty, naughty," He teased. "People will start to think you have some _personal_ interest in me."

Widow scowled at him, her dark brown eyes scowling. "I'm not here for _that_, pig. I wanted someone to talk to."

Just his luck, he had to play counselor tonight. "Very well. I'm all ears, what is troubling you? My brother trying to slip into those knickers? He's not terribly known for his fidelity."

"Do you talk about anything else besides sex?" She demanded, seething. Obviously, he had struck a nerve with her.

"Yes. But you haven't yet wanted to discuss what dragged you out of bed after hours to come and visit me," Loki reasoned. "I'm not at my best, but I'm all ears, seeing as I am being kept in this cage for the time being."

Widow relaxed, visibly relieved. "I have these dreams," She confessed. "Well, they are more like nightmares. Not about my missions, but about my childhood. I was given to an assassin academy when I was a child...and they have a graduation ceremony where for girls they..." She trailed off, and blushed, embarrassed.

But then she took a deep breath, and continued, "They tie your tubes so female assassins can't have children and I...You know what? Nevermind, you don't give a shit, so why am I even bothering to tell you?"

She was about to leave, and Loki had no idea why, but something about her vulnerability struck a deep chord in him, something he thought was long since dead.

"Natasha," He said softly.

She turned to face him, and there were tears streaking her face. "What did you just call me?" She asked, suspicious.

Loki sighed, and walked to the glass edge of his prison. "I called you by name. Come here."

"No, this is a trick."

"Have I replicated myself? Or tried to escape?" He asked.

Widow wiped at her nose. "No, but you are called the god of mischief for a reason. What did you want to tell me?"

"That I can relate to you," Loki found himself saying. "Can you please come here?"

She obeyed this time, and he almost drew back in shock. He put his hand on the glass, and she put her hand there, and touched it. If there was not a glass wall between them, their hands would be touching. Up close, she was beautiful, but it was more than that, she reminded him sharply of Sigyn. Sigyn had been fair haired and seemingly frail, but she could be strong and stubborn in her own way.

"What do you want, Loki?"

"I can relate, because I too lost something precious," He confessed. "But such a thing as has been done to you can be reversed. Mine cannot."

Widow drew back, a bit unsettled to have revealed so much to him, clearly. "What...what do you mean?"

"Ask Thor, he was there."  
"I don't understand."

"Come to me at night, and we can get to know one another more," He suggested. "In the afternoons, we can go back to our roles. I'll deny things about the tesseract and the scepter, and you can go back to being your sexy, guarded self. What do you say?"

"I still hate that you destroyed New York," Widow said, grinning.

"Ah, but you have no reason to hate me," Loki said, smiling. "I'm merely an unbiased ear to possibly be your friend."

Widow laughed. "You wouldn't know what friendship was if it smacked you in the face, or love for that matter."

Loki frowned. "Ask Thor about what he saw in the throne room after I killed Baldur."

Widow rolled her eyes. "This changes nothing between us." She got up, and left him alone in the prison, and in the afternoons that followed, they played their games with each other, while nearly every evening they met to talk of other matters. What neither heroine or villain knew was that they were forming an alliance all on their own separate from their original goals...


	3. Chapter 3

Widow's Pov...

Natasha was haunted by the intense sad look in Loki's emerald green eyes as they talked last night. She changed into her uniform and went to the morning's briefing. Banner and Stark were talking about the scepter, and the rest of the team debated about what to do next. Then everyone eyed her.

"What?" Natasha asked.

"You're the one talking to emo prince," Stark said with his typical sarcasm. "I mean, did he give you makeup tips or what? Or did he actually talk about the magical ice cube of death we're researching?"

"Loki has been...uncooperative so far," Natasha admitted. "He says that he won't talk without better treatment."

Banner rolled his eyes. "And the next thing he will want is a five course meal and valet service. I say that he gets better treatment when he starts talking about the tesseract."

Natasha spoke little at the rest of the meeting, but when Thor was alone, she asked, "Thor, could I have a word with you in private?"

Thor nodded, his ruggedly handsome face registering that she was about to impart some useful information. They went to the mess hall, and he said, "Very well, Natasha, what did you wish to tell me?"

"I simply wanted to ask you what you witnessed in the throne room of Asgard after Loki killed some enemy called Baldur," Natasha said, without emotion. _Let's see if Loki is full of bullshit, or if there is some truth in what he says,_ she thought.

Thor paled visibly, and he set his hammer down heavily. He breathed shallowly, and then looked at her. "Baldur was an ally of the Jottin against Asgard. At the time, Loki was playing both sides, but what made it worse was that he dragged a high ranking Asgardian lady into the last realms war."

The pieces were starting to click into place, but she needed to press further: "And who was this lady?"

Thor's blue eyes became cautious as he asked, "What is your interest in Lady Sigyn, agent Romanov?"

"Just answer the question."

"My father decided that Lady Sigyn, because of her connection to Loki, was too dangerous to be kept alive. I..." He took an uncomfortable breath, and it came out shaky.

"I watched as the guards beat my brother, and then my father ran that lady through with his own scepter..." Thor began to tear up. "I...I only saw her as my enemy, not as a defenseless woman. But it wasn't until much, much later that Loki had told me that she had been carrying his child."

Natasha thought of her own inability to have a child of her own, and something inside her snapped. She punched the god of thunder hard in the face, and began to weep bitter tears. Thor looked at her, stunned.

"You...you _bastards_," She cried, "Do you have _any_ idea what some women would give to be able to be a mother?! Get out of my sight!" She practically screamed. Thor left, obviously extremely disturbed by this much emotion from the infamous Black Widow.

When she went to see Loki, they played their games with each other. But when evening came, she threw on a black night gown, and robe, and Loki had managed to get some books put into his cell, as well as a smartphone. He was laughing at a funny video when he saw her come in. He turned off his phone and plugged it in. 

Their eyes met, emerald green and jade green, and he stood as close to the glass as possible without breaking it. "He told you didn't he?" He asked seriously.

"Yes," She said, trying to keep her emotions in check, and failing. "He seemed ashamed to admit that his father killed a pregnant woman. I cannot imagine your loss."

Loki smiled bitterly. "Oh, come now Natasha. I'm certain that you can. No one else of your pathetic group of mewling quims could imagine it. Are you still as convinced that Shield and the avengers are the right path for you?"

"No team is perfect."

"Ah. Of course," Loki grinned. "Whatever helps you to sleep at night. My choices were taken away from me a long time ago. My stupid oaf of a brother will never be an effective King. You and I both know that, but even if I gain the throne of Asgard, it is nothing without a Queen."

Natasha chose not to see the flicker of heat in Loki's eyes. "I wouldn't be much use to you, if you're trying to flirt with me."

"Oh, with you? Goodness no, darling." Loki chuckled. "But you deliberately do it to me with those nightgowns you wear. Now, I could be a really good boy if you unlock my door."

Natasha laughed. "Do you really think I'm fool enough to allow you any freedom of movement?"

"No, but I said that I would be a good boy...to _you_," Loki insinuated.

Natasha was about to leave, but she turned around to face him at the last minute. "I cannot trust you not to betray me the second chance you get. This conversation is over."

"Oh, no, darling," Loki winked knowingly. "It is just begun. Now, if I start to cooperate, I expect some..._special_ compensation from you."

God, men were so damn predictable! She decided to play dumb and ask, "And what sort of compensation do you want?"

"Me, you, a bed," Loki said, grinning mischievously. "I promise that I would make it worth your while. Now, unless you are going to unlock the door to give me a good night kiss, or what I most desire right now, we are done for the night."

"Good night...Loki."  
"Good night, darling."

Natasha all but fled to her quarters and was disturbed that when she finally got back to sleep that her dreams were replaced by a dark haired prisoner making love to her in a golden bed in a beautiful palace...


	4. Chapter 4

Loki's Pov...

Two Weeks Later...

Sigyn...He felt her presence again in dreams. But why? Why now when the chitari were all but hounding him to take over things for Thanos? Thanos, he knew, did not appreciate failure, but then again, neither did he in his subjects. They had that in common.

"_Loki, dearest,_" He heard Sigyn's voice call to him in his mind. "_I will find you through time. Time will never divide or destroy our love."_

Loki felt tears streak down his face. He had long since cried his last tears for Odin and Thor, but Sigyn. Yes, she would always claim a big piece of his heart. Then there was that elusive Russian beauty. She was so strong, and yet so frail, it appealed to him in a way no woman has ever appealed to him.

The lights came on in the prison, and there was his stupid oaf brother Thor. Thor was dressed in his uniform, and idly shifting his hammer Mjolnir from one hand to the other. There was a scowl on his face.

Loki put on his mask of impassive indifference and said sarcastically, "Ah, so the mighty Thor comes to see me at last. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Have you no shame?" Thor demanded. "Father grieved over his decision to kill that girl who died of love for you. Have you respect for him at all as a King?"

Loki stormed over to his brother, and slammed a fist against the wall. How _dare_ he speak of his wife with such tactless disrespect!

"She was my _wife_! Or did that little fact escape your tiny mind? She helped me, because we were fighting for our _rightful_ throne."

"What is your game with agent Romanoff?" Thor demanded. Loki could tell that his brother was shaken, well, good. They had no right to take her from his arms!

Loki shrugged his shoulders. "She is a pleasant diversion here. We talk, and...well, that is about it. How nice of her to have such a savior of women in you. You must be exhausted having to play hero all the time to all of the world's damsels in distress."

Thor punched a hole in the prison wall. "You shut your mouth! Your..._wife_ was no innocent. She killed a hundred of my men on her own."

Loki smiled. "Ooo! That must really wound your ego even now. I wonder, could your Jane go into battle, and kill soldiers twice her size, knowing she carried your child? No, I think not. You see, unlike you, brother, I value strength in a Queen. I do not look for weak damsels in distress as you do."

Another slam of Thor's fist into the prison wall. Oh, this was too easy! His oafish brother really did let his emotions control him too much. "Jane is _not_ weak!" Thor shouted.

Loki yawned. "I would love to chat more about our love lives, but I am too tired to be lulled into this tiresome discussion. Now, get out."

The oaf was stunned that he dismissed him out of hand. But then he saw Black Widow come in with two trays of food. She was in her uniform, but for some reason, her presence soothed him. His brother and Natasha exchanged some words, and Thor stalked off.

He heard the cameras go off, and he relaxed. Thor obviously didn't like that their conversations weren't being monitored. She went to the control panel for the door to his prison and unlocked the door.

"You know the drill," She said, "You make any move to escape and I shoot. Deal?"

Loki nodded his head. He took the tray from her, and a tingle went from his hands to hers as their hands brushed against each other. The contact was brief, but they both looked stunned as they drew away from each other.

Loki sat on the floor, and they ate in silence for a long time before he said, "The tesseract forms wormholes in space, dimensions, if you will. But for the frost giants it forms their structures. There, I gave you intel. Do with it as you will. Hydra already weaponized it to a large extent. Go read the files. Now, do I get that kiss?"

"You just want the sceptre," Natasha said, finishing up her meal, and wiping her hands on a napkin. "Why are you willing to let us have it?"

"Because it's better in your hands than Hydra's," He said truthfully. "You could use it, but not effectively. Only me and Sigyn could use it."

"Your wife."

"Yes. I'm done with this tray," Loki said. Natasha set her tray aside and got up. She went to the control panel and hit the unlock button. As she grabbed the tray, the helocarrier was hit was a blast of some kind. Their deck rocked to the side, forcing Natasha to fall into his arms.

He caught her, and the deck split in two. Iron Man came blasting in in his suit, and Loki cursed under his breath. Chitari...and Hel. Fuck. They weren't prepared for his crazed daughter.

The entire helocarrier was in chaos as agents were shooting up the chitari drones. No one questioned why the dark haired prisoner was free and fighting alongside the avengers.

Loki and Widow ran towards the lab, where Shield agents were fighting a tall, black haired woman in a tight black and green suit. She had unsettling black eyes that were filled with nothing but cold hatred and malice.

"Hel," Loki called out. The woman turned to face him, and eyed him and Natasha sharply. She held the sceptre in front of her, and the tesseract was glowing blue.

"Father...mother. What a quaint family reunion this is," Hel said, smiling sardonically. "Well, it no longer matters. The throne will be mine, and you will not be around to stop me." 

She pointed the sceptre at Black Widow and Loki, and opened the portal to the underworld. Hel cackled as she drew in her breath and blew them into the underworld. The two unlikely allies gave each other a fleeting look before the darkness took them, and they woke in another world...


	5. Chapter 5

Natasha's Pov...

Her head hurt, and so did the rest of her. Loki lay some distance away from her, but she found that it was hard to move since she must have sprained her ankle at some point landing wherever this place was.

Natasha looked around her surroundings. They were in an elegant black marble throne room of some kind. Natasha saw a strange blonde doppelganger of herself come towards her, wearing an elegant dark green velvet dress a Princess would wear in the early medieval period.

This version of herself had a light haze around her body, and she moved with grace and poise. She had long wavy golden blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. But what disturbed Natasha was that she looked exactly like her. She wore a sword on her belt, and two elegant, but serviceable daggers beside that.

This woman glanced at Loki and sighed sadly. "Hello, Natasha Romanoff. I did not think part of my spirit could come back after my daughter imprisoned me here."

The woman's voice was smooth and cultured like Loki's, but also strong, as if she was used to leading men to their deaths in battle; the woman touched her face.

"Such pain...such sadness," She said softly. "I do not have a lot of time, and I can only do this one thing: bring my husband the peace he seeks."

Natasha looked at Loki, suddenly struck by being in this elegant woman's presence. This was Sigyn, and she was beautiful and strong.

"What peace is that?"

"By coming back through you," Sigyn said. "You will have your identity and memories, but you will also have my memories and powers. Hel doesn't care that you are my reincarnated self. All she wants is to see Asgard fall. You must not let that happen. The throne must pass to you and Loki."

"Oh hell, no! I don't know what he was like when you were alive, but--"

"But he is difficult, sarcastic, arrogant at times, even selfish." Sigyn laughed. "Yes, Loki is all of these things, but he is fiercely loyal to those who keep faith with him. We had a passionate marriage, and it was because we were both so strongwilled. But I never doubted his heart. You cannot tell me that you do not find him handsome."

Natasha blushed. "Yes, but I..." She touched her stomach, and began to tear up. "Even if I were to like him in that way. I can't have children. The place where I was trained sterilized me."

Sigyn embraced her, and said, "Oh, you poor child. But I can fix that." She laid a hand on Natasha's womb, and she could feel a warming sensation there, and the feeling of being restored came over her. "There. Now, you will have the ability, and now, I will give you what I need to give you before I have to speak to my husband for the last time as myself."

Natasha felt Sigyn touch her forehead and she closed her eyes, and felt her consciousness slipping and power and strength fill her limbs. When she awoke, she was still the same woman, and yet greatly changed in other ways. But she would only learn of these differences when they had to fight their way out of this prison side by side...


	6. Chapter 6

Loki's Pov...

He awoke to find himself in the dark, black marble throne room of Hel's palace in the underworld. Of course, anything to keep him from ruling Asgard as was his right. He sat up, and surveyed his surroundings, and then he saw Sigyn walk towards him in one of her favorite dark green gowns. A faint shimmer bordered her like a bright aura, and Loki couldn't help but tear up as he took in the sight of his wife again.

"Loki, dearest," Sigyn said, smiling. "We meet again at last."

I tried to hug her, but my fingers passed through where her arms would be. Of course, she was simply a shade. "I missed you so much, darling. You look as lovely as ever."

Sigyn sighed, and blinked back her tears. "And you are just as handsome as the day we wed in the throne room. I just never imagined that Odin would kill me."

"Nor I," Loki agreed. "But why did Hel call Romanoff 'mother?' You are the only one who can get us out of here without the tesseract."

Sigyn stepped towards him and touched her hand to his face. "I promised you that nothing would keep us apart, my love," She reminded him. She led him over to where Black Widow lay on her side, sleeping peacefully.

He looked down at his ally, and said, "I admit that you two look alike, but you didn't answer my question."

Sigyn ran her fingers through the Russian agent's dark red hair. It began to turn golden blonde and wave. "There. I cannot bear to see a woman who shares my likeness to not have my coloring. She will have her memories, but also my powers and memories. I am not thrilled that you must move on without me to rule by your side, but she will be a good Queen."

Loki backed away from her, and shook his head. "I...I couldn't do that to you, darling. Please come back with me."

Sigyn shook her head. "I cannot. You know the rules of the underworld. I have done all I can to be with you in spirit. Go to Natasha, work with her, love her. She deserves your fierce, tender heart. I have seen her past, and she is stronger than even she knows. You can be her rock, Loki. Please do this, for me, for _us_."

Loki nodded his head, and said, "Very well."

They shared a brief, but passionate kiss, and Sigyn was gone. He went over to Natasha, and gently turned her face so that he could see her. He ran his knuckles down her cheek, and Marvelled at how truly beautiful she looked. He briefly brushed his lips across her full ones, and felt that tingling feeling again.

He sat beside her, and she woke up slowly. Natasha's eyes had become Sigyn's piercing blue, as well as her hair. She looked around the room, and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Where are we?" She asked. Well, at least she was still Black Widow in everything else practically.

"Hel's palace in the underworld," He said, standing. He held out his hand, and she reluctantly took it. "I'm afraid that if we don't get killed first trying to escape here, I will need you to get us to Asgard. Unless Heimdall can be persuaded to open up the bi-frost. It's doubtful, but you never know. Shall we?"

He reached to touch her again, but she flinched. Natasha then looked around the elegant, expansive room. It was devoid of any kind of tapestry or heraldry. The only thing that truly stood out was the huge black granite throne on a fifteen foot dais that looked out over the entire room. In the hey day of the underworld, the throne room would be filled with petitioners. But today, they were alone.

"Where are we going?" Natasha asked. "I have to get to my teammates. They will wonder where we both are."

He looked back at her, exasperated, "Well, when we can get our hands on a phone, you can call. But until then, let's try not to trip any traps my daughter has cunningly placed everywhere in this place."

Natasha checked the rounds in her guns, and I grinned. Of course, Sigyn would leave her sword. He picked it up, and whirled it around.

It was far too light of a sword for his taste, but his wife was deadly in combat, and she dispatched many of their enemies with this blade. Black Widow stared at him in amazement. Loki looked up, and sheathed it in its scabbard. He belted it to his his belt next to his daggers, and said, "You can use it if you like. Sigyn left it to you, as well as her coloring."

"Beg your pardon?"

"You're a blonde now," He lifted up a lock of her wavy hair, and immediately regretted it. Shit, it was soft, and made him want to run his hands through it.

"H--how?"  
"It suits you."  
"Answer the question."

He dropped his hand. "Do you remember Sigyn appearing before you here?"

"Yes. We look like twins."

"Well, darling, a part of her resides in you now," Loki answered. "I will prove it. What food did I bring to your chambers to entice you to agree to my courtship, yet I didn't know you were allergic to it?"

"Strawberries," Natasha said without hesitation. "She...I...got violently sick...I missed your duel with Thor when he tried to fight for me as well."

He stepped closer to her. "And when I sneaked in to wake you up. What happened then?"

She holstered her gun and stepped closer to him. "You..." Natasha blushed. "We...we were together and...and it felt--"

"Magical," Loki finished for her before plunging his fingers into her soft blonde hair, and crashed his mouth against hers. Natasha at first tried to pull away, but she melted into him and sent her tongue into his mouth. Loki explored her with his hands, and growled low in his throat.

"We should stop," He panted against her mouth, which was already swollen with his kisses. Natasha's eyes flew open, and she looked up at him with some alarm.

"Whaat?" She asked, dazed. "You did something to make me do that."

He traced her lips with his thumb and said, "I did nothing but what we both have wanted for some time. Now, I know why."

Natasha pulled away from him, tearing up. "I..I remember everything. But...is it not wrong for you to kiss me, or for...for this? I was trained to be a weapon, not feel things. You compromise me."

"We'll talk later about this later," Loki promised, kissing her hand, and Natasha shivered at his touch he was pleased to see. "But now, let's focus on getting out of here in one piece."

Natasha nodded, and went back into Black Widow mode. They scouted the whole room, and all throughout the castle, he followed her lead, because he knew that Sigyn was indeed with him in spirit. What more could he ask for?


	7. Chapter 7

No Pov...

As the helocarrier fell apart, and The Avengers fought off the chitari, and the mysterious black haired woman leading them, wielding Loki's scepter like a weapon, Doctor Strange transported them all to Asgard where the golden city was burning around them..

🕷🕷🕷

Hel's Pov...

The moment of her greatest triumph, ever since betraying her mother to the damn Asgardians in exchange for total autonomy in her own kingdom was about to be unleashed. She didn't imagine that her mother would be killed so publicly, but she couldn't argue with the results. She had watched the whole thing from the underworld on her throne.

The moment her spirit arrived, Hel sent her minions to torture and try to break her mother's soul in whatever way she could. Her reason? Fenrir, the damn werewolf, was more her parent's favorite. Well, he could stew in his dungeon some more.

Now, the screams of the dying and buildings being destroyed around her, was music to the black haired goddess, who was hell bent on revenge. She whirled her slender, athletic body in complex acrobatic fighting moves as she wielded the tesseract like a spear.

Then The Avengers arrived, led by her uncle, who was looking less like a King, and more like a filthy peasant. She gave her father credit where credit was due, the man dressed for the job he wanted.

A huge green mutant, a man in a flying red and gold suit. A man in a dark gray flying suit, a handsome blonde man in a blue and silver, fighting alongside a darker haired man with a metal arm that she found infinitely more appealing. But her parents were not present. Good. She didn't want any more... touching family reunion times.

The Avengers advanced on her army of chitari while she weaved in and out, engaging the handsome blonde soldier. He tried to fight her with his vibranium shield, but while he could street fight easily enough, he couldn't match her speed. She hologramed herself out, and Iron Man groaned, "Oh, just great, Thor! When were you going to tell us we're dealing with emo Prince's brat?!"

They fought her holograms, and Hel moved in to distract the winter soldier.

She landed a punch to his kidneys and he faced off with her. "Let's dance cutey pie," She taunted in Russian, winking.

"Sorry, doll, I don't date crazy," Winter Soldier said in Russian, winking, trying to fire his gun at her. "Especially if I don't know her name."

"I am Princess Hel Lokisson, daughter of King Loki, and Queen Sigyn," She said in old Norse. She wondered if this human understood her, but he did, though no one but her uncle did, of course.

Thor's eyes widened in shock. The Winter Soldier said in Norse, chuckling, "You are definitely Loki's daughter. But I'm definitely going to have to kill you."

"Are you, James?" His eyes widened at her use of his name. "I could make you a King. All of the nine realms will be yours. All you have to do is join me."

"Not a chance, doll."

He lifted up his gun again, and aimed it at her. He shot her but she deflected it, and caught him unawares by stealthily sliding up behind him, and giving him her kiss of dominance.

The blonde soldier yelled, "Bucky, no!"

Hel grinned with amusement. Clearly, the blonde had some love for his friend that was more than brotherly, but his friend was not that way. Good. No man would share what was hers. She wondered if the enchantment would work if she removed it. She kissed his cheek again, removing the curse.

His blue eyes cleared, but he looked at her, fascinated by her. Hmm...interesting. "Will you go willingly, or will I be forced to kill you here and now?"

"Bucky, don't!" Captain America pleaded.

Thor stepped forward. "Hel, let him go. This need not come to war."

"You and that bastard you call All-Father already declared war against my family when Odin murdered my mother in front of the entire court!" Hel all but scereamed, crying bitterly. "I bet you and all of your friends got some real amusement when your father murdered an unarmed _pregnant_ woman. I saw you laugh and drink. When Odin shoved the King's spear through her abdomen, I will _never_ forget your laugh. I was only twelve, but oh, do I remember. And how the guards whipped my father's back until it was bloody. Oh yes, I remember you very well, Uncle Thor. You don't deserve to wield Mjolnir. You _never_ did!"

Immediately, the hammer dropped out of Thor's hand, and he tried to pick it up but couldn't. Hel kicked him in the face, and picked it up easily, and summoned lightning as she lifted it up in the air. Hel smirked as she ordered her minions to fight The Avengers.

"Spare my friends," The Winter Soldier said plainly. "Please. If they attack you again, I won't stop them, but I can't just abandon them otherwise."

Hel smiled at him, and gave the order. "Come, my King. We have much work to do repairing this palace."

"Where is Loki and Widow?"

"Why, in the underworld." She waved a hand over her would be lover's eyes. He had some affection for the red haired beauty.

"If they make it out alive, it will be because my mother decided to merge her spirit with your...ex girlfriend. She will not want you, I'm afraid," She cautioned him.

They were in the throne room where there was no damage. "What do you mean by merged spirits? I don't follow," Bucky said carefully.

Hel waved a hand over his face and his face was completely shaved now. "Much better, you look more presentable. Now, to answer your question, your friend is a resurrection of my mother. The same face, body, all except for her hair color and eye color, matches up with my mother." She sat on the throne. "I can see why my father would so willingly open up to her. He loved her deeply. Her death marked him."

"Interesting," Bucky said, looking around the elegant, golden room in a covert way to surveillance his surroundings. "And could you heal things like my arm? I heard that people here knew magic."

Hel's black eyes sparkled with mischief. "Would you really want it healed? You seem to find it useful in combat."

Bucky grinned wolfishly. "I dont want to be reminded constantly of HYDRA's interference in my life."

Hel shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes. She waved her hands over the non existent arm and tapped deep into her powers. The limb started to reform, only it was stronger than before. Hel opened her eyes, and stumbled back into the throne.

The Winter Soldier looked at her with concern as he flexed his arm, the metal falling off to the polished floors. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Hel shook her head. "I'm fine. Healing things like this just takes a lot out of me. Do you like your arm?"

Bucky smiled. "Thank you. I mean that. I may have this programming stuck in my head from HYDRA but you're not so bad."

Their eyes met, and she summoned the healers. "Yes, my Queen?" A healer asked.

"Take my intended down to your labs," Hel ordered, trying to keep the weariness out of her voice. "He has negative brain washing techniques that have been done to him. If you can also restore what has been lost to him, all the better. That will be all."

"Yes, Your Grace," The group of healers said, bowing. They started to take the Winter Soldier away, but he paused in his movements, and walked up to the throne and took her breath away when his lips crashed on hers.

"Th--thank you," He stammered.

Hel's heart raced. "I cannot have your loyalty if you are not yourself. Now, go. I.." She touched his cheek gently. "I cannot promise that you will be completely restored but..."

"I appreciate it all the same, doll," He said, winking. "You're doing more than my friends ever did."

Hel watched the Winter Soldier leave, and for the first time in a very long time, she felt her heart flutter. What she also didn't know was that her black eyes had become the emerald green of her youth....


	8. Chapter 8

Steve's Pov...

The coldness and sterility of Tony Stark's headquarters and home never bothered him before today. How could Bucky side with that monstrous woman? What could she possibly offer him that The Avengers could not?

First, Black Widow is trapped in the underworld with Loki, and now Bucky is in Asgard doing God knows what! It was all too much.

The team sat around the big conference table, and Director Fury pinched the bridge of his nose, and asked, "Okay, Captain. Run it by me one more time. How exactly did Loki's daughter, was it? Managed to abduct Barnes? He's three times her size."

Captain America sighed sadly, eying the one eyed, stern faced black man with respect. "We fought off her aliens, but somehow, during the battle, Hel decided to single Bucky out. She kissed his cheek and his eyes went this icy blue, only I thought the tesseract could do that, and--"

"No," Thor cut in, "It was a gift passed down from her mother Lady Sigyn. Although, most beings who touch her either go insane from my niece's touch or completely under her spell. He seemed to react differently, which scares me."

"So, she likes your friend," Stark put in. "Big deal. She'll probably bang him for a while, and get sick of him, right?"

"You didn't see his reaction to her," Steve said curtly. "He seemed genuinely fascinated with her. I don't know what the heck he was seeing, her face was half rotted off, it looked like she was half a corpse."

Hawkeye piped up and said, "Is anyone going to talk about the fact that Loki has Nat somehow in some under world place? Forget the fact that we had our asses handed to us. We have two agents missing, and you're just going to focus on the skull faced girl? Ridiculous."

Thor glared at Hawkeye. "That _girl _is old enough to have seen this land of yours founded. Whatever my niece is, she is still my family."

"Yeah, and she's just as crazy as her dad," Banner said. "What if she gets your friend on her side, Steve? Like without magic?"

Steve shook his head. "I know Bucky. He wouldn't willingly betray us, but I suppose that if he did ally himself with Loki's daughter, we would have to try to take him out. I don't want to do that, he's my best friend. But...He kind of has a weakness for a pretty face. Always did."

"Eww...Are You kidding me, man?" Stark said. "Who could find _her_ appealing?"

"She was beautiful once," Scarlet witch pointed out. "Maybe the Winter Soldier saw that. You all forget that I can do illusions as well. But...The only problem was was that she wasn't showing any illusions to him. I saw his mind briefly. He saw a black haired beautiful woman with black eyes. They also spoke Norse to each other. Like, a dialect that is not spoken any more."

Thor agreed, "I only understood vague parts of it since chitari were trying to kill me, but she offered Asgard to him if he joined her."

"Great, a crown for his loyalty," Steve grumbled. "Bucky isn't as shallow as all that. He is more than likely trying to contact us with useful intel from there."

Fury grinned. "Well, Cap, I guess that you are on monitoring duty. Thanks for volunteering."

"Sir. I won't let you down," Steve said, leaving to carry out his orders. _I'm coming, Buck. I won't let that evil woman corrupt you..._


	9. Chapter 9

Natasha's Pov...

The giant spiders seemed to have come out of nowhere as Sigyn's memories led her and Loki to an underground chamber where the way out of the palace to the bi frost was supposed to be.

Natasha fired her guns at the nearest spider, while Loki, began to hack at the spider that grabbed at his leg. They were surrounded on all sides, and more were pouring in when a low howl and the breaking of several chains were heard.

"What's that?!" Natasha shouted over the noise.

"Fenrir is down here," Loki shouted, slicing open a spider's belly as he flipped out of the way of one of the spider's legs. He landed lightly beside her.

"How are you on ammo?"  
"Nearly out," She admitted.

"Great. Get behind me, I'm going to summon Fenrir," Loki instructed. "And plug your ears, the whistle is loud."

Natasha plugged her ears, and Loki put two fingers in his mouth, and the whistle was indeed piercingly loud. A loud roar was heard throughout the room, and then a giant black wolf with piercing green eyes crashed through the walls, and killed the remaining spiders.

The wolf growled and bared his teeth, but Loki stepped forward, and said something in a low growl. The wolf's body shimmered around it, until it shrank down to the size of a tall black haired man.

"I didn't recognize you there, father," Fenrir said, and then looked Natasha over. "I'm delighted you have returned, mother. I am Fenrir, in case your memory is hazy, your first born."

Loki cleared his throat, and said, "She probably doesn't remember everything and--"

"I know that you almost destroyed Vanaheim, and that's why you were chained up here," Natasha said. "But it's like remembering all of this second hand."

Fenrir grinned his wolfish grin, and hugged her. "It's alright, mother. I don't care if you don't remember every little thing. I like the suit, by the way. Is this what women wear this era?"

Both Loki and Natasha laughed. "No, it's a uniform," Natasha said. "I'm trained as an assassin, so the suit is necessary for missions. I am called Black Widow, and it was a hard won title."

"I'll bet. Well, let's go stop my sister," Fenrir said. "You might want to climb on my back once I change."

Loki nodded his head, and Fenrir stepped away from them. The handsome black haired man changed. Loki looked away, but Natasha watched, amazed at the transformation of his body turning into the huge black wolf again. Fenrir laid down so they could climb aboard, and Natasha took Loki's hand as he helped her up.

He wrapped his arm around her, and she said, "Is that necessary?"

Loki laughed, "I don't want you falling off. But it's your show, darling. Get us out of here."

"Fine, but stop touching me...like that," Natasha said. Loki relaxed his hold, and she was able to concentrate on the wall in front of them. She felt the magic flow through her and the portal opened up. A rainbow-like tunnel formed before them as she opened her eyes.

Fenrir ran forward and she tried to hang on to Fenrir's soft black fur, but she slipped and would have fallen if Loki wasn't there to catch her.

"Still object to me holding you?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"No, I guess not," Natasha said, smoothing back her now blonde hair. Would she ever come to terms with it being her natural color now? It was hard to say, all she knew was that she never thought that she would be riding a giant werewolf, or that she would be traveling on the bi frost with Loki of all people.

Villagers and hideous creatures were attacking the golden capital. Loki growled, "She has gone too fucking far. Come, Fenrir, run faster, we have to get to Hel and fast."

Fenrir roared, and began devouring and disembowling any creature that stood in their way. They fought their way to the gates of the palace of Asgard, but in the end, they were captured and brought before Hel and the Winter Soldier when Fenrir had his left flank pierced by a spear, and Loki had insisted upon helping his son get to safety.

Now, they were led in chains before the golden throne, and Loki held her hand, and her heart skipped a beat when he whispered, "Don't worry, darling. We _will_ get through this."

"How can you be so sure?"  
"Because I have you."  
"Loki..."

He scowled. "Never mind. I will tell you when you're older."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Narcissist."

Loki smirked. "You love this narcissist."

"I do _not_."  
"Sure, you don't."

A guard hit them from behind. "Keep walking, and shut up!"

"Yes, Bluto," Loki teased.

Natasha flashed him a grin, and shook her head. Okay, maybe Loki wasn't so bad. She was even starting to like him, but there were times she almost liked his little gestures of affection.

The throne room opened up to them, and Natasha immediately noticed that the Winter Soldier was completely restored, and looked most dashing and handsome in black robes fit for royalty. Hel sat beside him on the throne, the gold scepter in her left hand. She wore a burgundy gown, and smiled sardonically when they were dragged before her.

Hel waved a hand and Natasha was dressed in a dark green velvet gown. "That's better," Hel said. "The Black Widow suit looks dreadful on you now that you are fully restored. But it no longer matters, your restoration, mother. I have decided that I cannot have you and father usurping my rightful throne. Take them to the dungeons."

Loki stepped forward, and kicked the guard reaching for him. "Enjoy warming my throne for me, Hel. I guarantee that you will not sit long upon it. For you see, you are not the only one burdened by a glorious purpose, that of ruling the nine realms as they are meant to be ruled."

Barnes moved to object, "My Queen," He said, laying a hand on her bare shoulder, "Would it not be best to make an example of them on my coronation?"

He flashed Natasha a brief code with his fingers meaning that help was on the way. Natasha kept her face impassive.

Hel simpered under the Winter Soldier's attentions. "Would you really want that, my darling?" She asked.

Barnes smiled, and said, "Oh yes, but since Black Widow was a fellow agent, I think it best if I kill her myself. Quick and painless to the skull, no pain."

"You will have to go through me," Loki snarled. Natasha was startled by his willingness to protect her.

Barnes laughed. "Oh, do try. But we both know who will end up dead first."

"Boys, boys," Hel chided. "Enough arguing. I have had my fill of fighting. Come, dear. We must let these two rest in the dungeon, while I can think of something I would much rather be doing."

The Winter Soldier grinned and left with Hel. Natasha saw a brief note on the floor. Natasha reached to pick it up discreetly. She held it tightly in her hand until they were led into a bright, but simple room.

Two couches and a big bed were the only pieces of furniture in the room. Loki looked around the room and laughed, "Well, at least the company is far better than last time."

Natasha read her note from Bucky Barnes. He wrote that The Avengers were arriving soon, and he would arrange to visit when he could. He wrote it in Russian, but it was in a code only they knew.

Natasha sat on the plush chaise couch by the bed, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, at least Bucky is willing to help us," She finally said. "His note told me that he was in contact with The Avengers and would try to see us soon."

Loki began to take off his armor. "Good. I didn't picture him as a King. Well, I guess there is nothing for it, but to rest, bathe, or...seeing as there is nothing else better to do in here, we could do something that would really make the hours pass."

"Ugh, if it's what you are thinking of, you can forget it," Natasha said, shaking her head.

Loki crossed the distance between them quickly, and took her in his arms. She tried to fight him, but he wouldn't let go, "Why are you fighting this?" He asked. "_Look_ at me, Natasha."

She did, and began to tear up. "Because...because I shouldn't get close, with anyone."

Loki caressed her cheek, and said, "But yet you're close with me. Just kiss me, I guarantee that we could be good together. You know it and I know it."

Natasha looked into Loki's emerald green eyes, and meant to only peck him on the lips, but as their lips met, some tidal pull made their kiss deepen, and before she knew what was happening, they were tearing at each other's clothes.

Loki led her to the bed and began kissing her all over, and when he entered her, she bucked her hips to meet him, surprised at how good, how right he felt inside of her.

They moved as one, and when they found their separate releases, they felt complete and whole in each other's arms. The lights in the cell dimmed and darkened as Natasha slept in Loki's arms, safe and falling further in danger of losing her heart to this complicated, handsome god...


	10. Chapter 10

Bucky's Pov...

After servicing the Queen, James Buchanan Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier, was able to get out of bed, and pad naked to the closet. He had never felt so strong or restored, especially because the healers had also removed the damned activation brainwashing codes from his head. He was more than grateful to Hel for all she did for him, yet when he saw Natasha being taken prisoner to the dungeon, it snapped him out his loyalties to this would be Queen of Asgard.

Even if he couldn't escape from this weird place of magic and strange ass creatures, he could at least get Natasha the hell out of here. He owed her that, because they had their own history, after all.

He found his old uniform, and put it on. He found it strange to wear it without the metal arm, but it pleased him that his muscles were more powerful than they had ever been, his senses uncanny and quick. Hel was still sleeping. Good. He had to be stealthy.

He found his guns, and then he found the scepter. Funny, how she assumed that he was so loyal to her that he wouldn't steal it. Well, it wouldn't be the first time he used his looks to make an enemy drop their guard around him. Women were easier in that regard, but all he had to do was be charming, and prisoners usually fell into line.

He felt the power of the gold scepter in his veins as he held it. He grinned wolfishly. Loki would no doubt know how to use this thing better than he ever could. Bucky crept along, making sure that his combat boots didn't make a noise as he went to the lower levels of the dungeons.

His luck failed him when two guards rushed at him and he felt the tesseract blast them into nothingness. Cool. No wonder HYDRA wanted to weaponize this, it was powerful. All manner of creatures were caged in separate lighted cells. One of them was a red haired woman who had half of a skull face and red eyes.

"Hey, handsome," She cooed to Bucky. "You want to come in? You may be the Queen's toy, but I can play nice."

"Where is Loki and Natasha Romanoff?" Bucky demanded, levelling the scepter her way. She threw up her hands, and said, "Next level down, handsome. But I wasn't aware she had another name but Lady Sigyn."

This was valuable information, but Bucky kept his face impassive. "Thank you," He said.

"No problem, handsome."

Bucky hurried down to the lower level, and that was when he saw Natasha and Loki snuggling naked in bed. Eww..It was an interesting piece of information, but he filed that away for another time.

He cleared his throat. Natasha nearly yelled, and drew the covers up to her breasts, but then relaxed when she saw that it was him. There wasn't anything he had not seen before on Black Widow before as a past lover.

"You could knock, James!" She joked.

Loki scowled at him and said, "Are you going to let us out, or are you going to stare all day? I do hear the alarms starting to go off."

He didn't want to be seen as clueless in front of this guy, so he simply said, "I don't see a lock on the cells."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Use the scepter."

Bucky nodded and touched it to the glowing force field doorway. The tesseract blasted it apart, and Loki said, "Can I have my weapon back now?"

"Umm...sure."  
"Good."

Natasha got dressed alongside Loki, and she said, "Umm, I hate to ask, but I can't get the back laces. You mind helping me, Loki?"

"Of course, darling," Loki said with a softness Bucky found disturbing. He watched as Loki lifted up Widow's wavy hair, and tied the laces as tightly as any lady's maid. "Is that too tight? I can cut some slack on it."

"No, that's good, thank you," Black Widow said, turning around and giving Loki a peck on the lips. Bucky watched them get ready quickly, and Loki handed a rather elegant sword to Widow.

"Loki, I can't take this."

"It's yours, darling," Loki said. "It belongs in your hands, not mine. Now, follow me, I know a short cut to the throne room."

They followed Loki, but Natasha shouted, "Wait! What about Fenrir?"

Loki paused. "There's no time, Natasha. Besides, Hel more than likely has him up on the surface fighting your team."

"And who is this guy?"

"My son," Loki said.  
"Um, o-okay. When we get out of this, you and I are having a talk, Nat," Bucky said, pointedly.

Natasha drew the sword, and the blade began to glow blue, as if lit from within. "Fine, fine, James. Later. We have company, guys. Orcs and trolls."

Loki grinned. "Oh, goody. Just when I was having a lovely morning already."

Loki took the lead, taking the stairs to the left, and guiding them down four corridors, until they came to a clearing. There Bucky saw Hel, fighting a huge black wolf, and The Avengers at the same time.

Orcs and trolls fought on the goddess of death's side, and Bucky had no time to catch Natasha before she flipped into battle and bellowed, "HEL! SHOW YOURSELF!!"

Hel faced Black Widow, and laughed coldly, "I'm here..._mother_. Let's finish this, so I can have the pleasure of snatching my rightful throne from you both."

"Not if I kill you first, bitch," Natasha said, coldly, and began attacking the goddess.

Bucky lost track of the Black Widow as an orc tried to shoot him with arrows, but he fired his glock at it, blasting half of its skull off. Black blood flew everywhere, and more creatures were attacking the rest of The Avengers. Loki leapt on to the giant black wolf, and was blasting hideous creatures from his "son's," back, and hologramming himself to engage other enemies.

He caught sight of Black Widow making holograms of herself, and Steve deflected a blast from one of the guard's staffs. "Fancy seeing you here, bro," Bucky teased.

Steve laughed. "Yep, this is a hell of a dance. Drinks on me, later?"

Bucky laughed. "Yep, you got it." He engaged several hideous creatures and The Avengers did the rest. Loki landed beside him, and the giant wolf morphed into a tall young man, with black hair like him. He also wore similar armor.

Hel and Black Widow were still heavily engaged in fighting, and both women were bloodied up and still continuing to fight.

Bucky checked his rounds, and found that he had two left. Both enemy and friend were fighting their own personal duel to the death. He took a few deep breaths, and lined up the shot. When Hel had her back turned to him, he shot her in the back of the head.

Hel' s body fell to the polished stone floors of the golden throne room, and Black Widow sliced the goddess in half, and spat on her. Hel's body collapsed into ashes, and Natasha fainted.

The tall dark haired young man caught her falling body, as Loki rushed up, and said, "I've got her, dad."

"Good. Take her to her chambers," Loki said. "I trust you remember where."

Fenrir scoffed. "Of course," He eyed Bucky and said, "I take it you want to talk with her?" He asked the Winter Soldier.

"Yeah, I'm coming."  
"Good. Let's go."

The Avengers talked among themselves, and Bucky followed the black haired young man, who did resemble Loki quite a bit. The werewolf carried Black Widow bridal style to a set of golden double doors, and waved a hand. The doors opened, and the entire room was spacious and way too decadent for Bucky's taste.

The young man laid Natasha gently on the bed, and cleared his throat, "Let me just wake her and you two can catch up. I'm going to guess you had some history with her."

"Yeah, you could say that."

Fenrir waved his hand over Widow's face, and she stirred. "It's not my place or anything but my father is...possessive. Once he decides something or someone is his, he will fight fang and claw for them. He loved my mother fiercely, until Odin had her killed. I think he loves her just as much. So, take my advice and keep this quick."

"We're just friends."

Fenrir rolled his eyes. "Yet you were involved once were you not?"

Bucky nodded his head. "Yeah. But now, we're friends."

"Good. Keep it that way," Fenrir said, and left them alone. Bucky took Natasha's hand in his and kissed it. Within minutes, her formerly green eyes opened, and focused on him. They shared a smile, and caught up on lost time...


	11. Chapter 11

Natasha's Pov...

Her limbs and her head hurt, but at the very least she was safe, that was a good thing. Her memories of Sigyn told her that this was her room with Loki, and obviously he had kept it spotless and immaculate all of these years.

The Winter Soldier, or James as she liked to call him, was sitting beside her on the bed. She noticed that his arm was restored, as well as his mind. He probably would never be the James Buchanan of Steve Roger's youth, but then again, are we ever exactly like ourselves in our youth?

"So, Loki, huh?" Bucky asked. "How did that happen? He seems to be a strange choice."

Natasha laughed, but it made her ribs hurt. "He's actually not as bad as people make him out to be. But I actually like him, strangely enough."

Bucky smiled, and patted her hand. "I could tell. I wish you two all the best, I really do, Nat. But are you sure this isn't all just to retrieve the scepter?"

Natasha looked up at Bucky, and then sat up. She waved her hand and energy flowed out of her hand and a portal formed. She snapped her fingers and it disappeared. He looked at her in amazement.

"I actually don't need it to a certain extent," Natasha said wearily. "Sigyn...I met her in the underworld. She..did things to me that I will be forever to her for."

Bucky nodded his head in understanding. "Well, I have to go." He leaned over and kissed her forehead, and stood. "Are you sure you aren't coming with us back to Earth?"

Natasha shook her head. "I will be fine, James. Good luck, comrade."

Bucky grinned. "Good luck, doll. You're going to need it with him."

Natasha watched the Winter Soldier leave, and other teammates came to express their well wishes. Finally, she was alone with Loki, and he asked, "How are you, darling?"

"I'm a bit sore, but I will be fine, I've had worse on missions," Natasha said. "But what are we going to do about...us?"

Loki kissed her hands. "Well, you could marry me."

Natasha looked up at Loki and her heart fluttered in her chest as she looked at him. "I...I never thought I would want to marry any one, but my answer is yes."

Loki crashed his lips against hers and gently kissed her hands. "My Queen."

"My King," Natasha said. They kissed and it was filled with such longing and promise that it left both lovers breathless. They snuggled in the bed, and slept peacefully...


	12. Chapter 12

Five Years Later...

Two children ran through the golden throne room as they tried to get away from their overworked nanny. The court was in session, but the arrival of the twin Prince and Princess of Asgard really caused a ruckus.

"Guards!" The handsome black haired King of Asgard ordered. "Bring my children to me."

"Yes, Your Grace," A guard said. Prince James and Princess Natalia were brought forward, and the crowd departed to let the cute little five year old heirs to Asgard pass. They eyed their imposing green eyed father and King with a mixture of love and admiration, while the beautiful blonde Queen, once a tortured, haunted SHIELD agent, looked on, patting her still flat stomach. Natasha still had not told Loki of this new child, but when court was dismissed she would.

Loki leaned forward on his throne and smiled warmly at his children. "Now, James, what did I tell you about running through the palace, especially while court was in session?"

The black haired boy lifted up his green eyes shyly and blushed. "You said it wasn't allowed...that it's not proper for a Prince to caper about like a peasant."

Loki smiled, and totaled his son's hair. "Yes, exactly. But that doesn't mean you can't caper outside. And Natalia? Why were you chasing your brother?"

Natalia's blue eyes clouded over with fear, and she looked to her mother, the Queen, for support. Natasha's heart warmed, as always, to see her little girl.

"Come here, darling," She said to her daughter, "Come sit beside mommy. Daddy won't bite, you know that."

The little girl sniffed, tearing up, but she ran to her mother and Natasha picked up her daughter and put her in her lap. "Oh, mommy! James is so mean and hateful! He made my lemonade go black at lunch, and now my teeth and tongue are all icky."

Loki grinned at his son's harmless prank. The child of the god of mischief, indeed. As a prankster himself, he couldn't stay mad at his son, but as a father, he had to punish him.

He assumed a stern expression and said, "Son, you will _not_ torture your sister. No dancing at the ball later after the feast. You are to protect your sister, not subject her to your pranks. Do you understand?"

"Yes, daddy," Prince James said sadly.

Loki picked up his son and hugged him. "Now, you two are to go outside and _mind_ your nanny. I want you both to be good, your Uncle Thor and Lady Jane are going to be at the feast, along with Uncle James."

"Yes, daddy, we promise," The little Prince and Princess chorused.

The King and Queen kissed their children goodbye, and as they watched them run off to be with their nanny, Loki kissed his Queen's hand. Court was soon dismissed in favor of the evening feast.

When the King and Queen were alone, Natasha told Loki about this new child, and they both were delighted by the news of a new child. The entire kingdom of Asgard rejoiced at the news, and when Thor, the Winter Soldier, and other Avengers arrived for the feast, they even expressed their well wishes to the most unlikely couple imaginable.

For who would have thought that a simple interrogation assignment could have resulted in forging a connection between two lost souls that spanned time and space, and that finally broke the chains around their hearts at long last?

The End


End file.
